Title: The Evolution of Processing Units: From CPU and GPU to NPU and QPU
Abstract:
In the ever-changing world of computer systems and architecture, processing units remain at the heart of technological progress. This talk takes a broad look at processing units—past, present, and future. We’ll begin by exploring the history and key role of Central Processing Units (CPUs) in advancing computing power and system design. Next, we’ll look at the rise of Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) and how they’ve transformed parallel computing and enabled today’s AI applications. As we explore the current landscape of processing technologies, the talk will highlight recent advancements that are pushing the limits of modern computing. This includes new architectures like Neural Processing Units (NPUs) and other specialized accelerators that improve performance and energy efficiency. We’ll also cover game-changing ideas like Processing-In-Memory (PIM) and in-storage computing, which move computation closer to where data lives. Finally, the talk will look ahead to what’s next—featuring breakthroughs in quantum computing and the rise of Quantum Processing Units (QPUs), which could shape the future of computing in entirely new ways.
Bio:
Won Woo Ro received his B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering from Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea, in 1996, and his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical Engineering from the University of Southern California in 1999 and 2004, respectively. He previously worked as a Research Scientist in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the University of California, Irvine. He is currently a Professor in the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Yonsei University. Prior to joining Yonsei, he served as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at California State University, Northridge. His industry experience includes a college internship at Apple Inc. and a role as a contract software engineer at ARM Inc. His research interests span high-performance microprocessor design, GPU microarchitectures, neural network accelerators, memory hierarchy design, and quantum computing. He is serving as the General Chair for IEEE MICRO 2025 and has been inducted into the ISCA and MICRO Hall of Fame.
Host: Mingoo Seok